Feed mechanism for threshing-machines



J. N. SHANKS FEED MECHANISM FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MA.Y3I.19I6.

1,342,574. PatentiiqlJune 8,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I- ammo a E1272 J dkanks J. N. SHANKS.

FEED MECHANISM FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED M'AY 3l,l916

Patented June 8, 1920,

3 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

J. N. SHANKS. FEED MECHANISM: FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY.31, 1916.

= Patented June 8, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNIT STATES P OFFICE.

JOHN N. .SHANKS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 INLAND AUTOMATIC THRASHER AND MACHINERY COMPANY, LIMITED, OF POST FALLS, IDAHO, A

CORPORATION OF IDAHO.

FEED MECHANISM FOR THRESI-IING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented June 8, 1920.

Application filed May 31, 1916. Serial No. 101,855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN N. SHANKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Feed Mechanism for Threshing-Machines, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanism for threshing machines of the stationary type.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a double lateral feed whereby either bundles or loose grain may be fed from either or both sides of the machine. In this connection, it is a feature of my in vention to provide drapers running from opposite sides of machine toward each other in a manner to deliver to a substantially centrally disposed feed opening or slot.

This feed opening or slot is preferably formed by one terminal of one draper and the teeth of a picking or pro-threshing cylinder, these parts being arranged in such relation as to co-act for the purpose of doing a considerable amount of threshing prior to entrance of the grain into or between the main threshing cylinder and its concave. It is also a feature of this phase of the invention to drive the picking cylinder at a very considerable increased rate of speed with respect to the'rate of travel of that draper co-acting with said cylinder, whereby said cylinder will function to force feed the grain downwardly through said slot and thereby prevent choking.

A further and very important feature consists in disposing a transfer picker in such operative proximity to the picking cylinder and the said co-acting terminal therefor, that said transfer picker 'will retard feed of the grain toward said slot in excess of a predetermined amount or capacity. This transfer picker also performs an additional function in that it is so arranged with respect to the adjacent terminals of the approaching drapers, both transversely of the threshing machine, and vertically with respect to said terminals, that it will act to transfer the grain delivered from one draper device which is capable of being, not only withdrawn away from the main threshing cyllnder, but also, away from the feeding mechanismitself, in one single operation.

I dispose a picker near the delivery end of the conveyer so as to co-act with the latter and all of the aforenamed mechanism in such a manner as to constitute a feed uniformer whereby the grain will all be fed to the main threshing cylinder and its concave in .such uniformity of volume that maximum efliciency can be obtained because of the entire avoidance of an excess feed, such as would choke the cylinder, or a minimum feed, which would release its load and allow it to run wild. 1

A further novel feature in connection with the conveyer structure consists in automatically be connected in drive when it is shifted into a normal or operative position, and which will automatically be disconnected from drive when said structure is withdrawn from an operative position.

My invention also resides in an improved method of feeding grain whereby uniformity is effected by variations of constantly driven partsas regards their rates of speed, together with their arrangements.

A further novel feature in connection with either one or a plurality of feeding drapers consists in a novel form of band cutter operating in such range of the travel of said draper or drapers that the bands on the bundles will be severed before the bundles reach the feed slot.

A further feature of novelty consists in providing a draper terminal for co-action with the picker cylinder, and which terminal is movable under variations of feed so as to automatically vary the capacity of the feed slot in accordance with the bulk of grain fed thereto.

' one form of my improved feed mechanism Fig. 5.

with portions of the side boards omitted and broken away.

Fig.2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of an improved mounting for one of the draper terminals.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 7 is a view inside elevation of a portion of the housing of the feed mechanism and illustrating the normal position of the conveyer frame in subjacent relation thereto.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing how the conveyer frame in one withdrawal movement, is freed not only from the cylinder, but also from the housing.

Fig. 9 is a View in elevation of a portion of one of the band cutters showing the operating means therefor.

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation looking from the right of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of a friction drive and throw-out.

Fig; 12 is a detail sectional view on line 12-'-12 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view showing the relation of the delivery end of the conveyer and regulating picker to the main threshing cylinder and its concave.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

As illustrated, 1 designates a portion of the front of a threshing machine and 2 designates a portion of the under-frame extending forwardly to the front bolster 3, the latter being supported on the front wheels 4. In order to locate that portion of the thresher equipped with my invention, it

-may be well to first refer to the main cylinder shaft which is indicated at 5, the cylinder being indicated at 6, and the concave at 7. i

A housing is disposed above and forwardly of the main cylinder and said housing, together with certain drapers about to be described, constitutes a feed hopper through which or into wh1ch the grain 'to be fed to the threshing mechanism is disposed. However, this housing, patentably speaking,;is a mere shell or protector for the actual hopper, which isv formed by the "removed in accordance with the manner in which the machine is fed.

The bottom and really active portion of the hopper structure is formed, in the present construction, by companion-drapers indicated as a whole at 15 and 16. Draper15 is trained about a draper roller 17, on shaft 18, which has suitable bearings in the back and front walls 8 and 9 and whichis provided with a sprocket 19, at its rear end. A sprocket chain 20 is trained about sprocket 19 and about a sprocket 21, the latter'being mounted upon a frictionally driven change speed and throw-out shaft 22, the latter having bearings 23 and 24. On the front of shaft 18. is a sprocket 25 over-which a .chain or cable 26 is trained, and twisted, so

that the opposite bight thereof when trained about a transfer picker shaft sprocket 27,

on picker 28, will serve to rotate the picker 28 in a contra-clockwise direction, with reference to Fig. 4, whereas the roller 17 will be rotating in a clockwise direction. Thus the draper 15 will travel in the direction of the arrow and the teeth 29, of the picker 28 will travel in accordance with its arrow indication. The remaining bight of the draper 15 is trained about a roller 30 mounted upon a shaft 31. That portion of the draper rounding roller 30 will hereinafter be termed a draper terminal and I will now describe the means with which it co-acts, and the manner in which it co-acts with said means.

A picker and pre-threshing cylinder is longitudinally disposed in the lower or contracted portion of the hopper housing and is indicated at 31. Threshing teeth 32 project from the periphery, and said cylinder is mounted upon picker cylinder shaft 33. The

picker cylinder is arranged in such relation with respect to the terminal of draper 15 that the latter and the ends of teeth 32 form a feed opening or slot 34, which in practice, is approximately 3 inches wide, and of a length equal to the length of the picker cylinder or the width of the draper 15. As the grain is delivered off from the end of draper 15, or rather its terminal roller 30,

it is engaged by teeth 32 and is drawn downwardly in the housing. The picker cylinder 31 'will be rotated at approximately 450 revolutions a minute whereas the driving roller respect to the capacity of said slot.

17, of the draper 15, will only rotate ap proximately 17 revolutions per minute. It

is because of the high rate of speed of the picker cylinder that the grain will be eiliciently fed downwardly.

The )icker cylinder and draper also coact to perform an additional function, in that their relation is such with respect to the bulk fed, that a considerably large percentage of the grain will be threshed during its passage between the draper terminal an the picker cylinder, although'it will be understood that in no case would I propose to entirely dispense with a threshing cylinder, proper. However, I have found in practice that the usual loss is greatly reduced because of the fact that this pre-threshing operation precedes the action of the main threshing cylinder on the grain.

It will be seen that the actionof the clockwise rotating teeth 32 will impart to the draper terminal, through the interposed grain, a downward thrust. Therefore, and further, to avoid choking, I provide a novel means whereby the draper terminal may yield under the action of such sustained picker tooth thrust in such a manner as to relieve the parts of excessive stress resulting from choking.

As illustrated, the ends of shaft 31, of roller 30, are mounted in boxes 35 and the latter are sustained, preferably pendantly, by a yielding means such as springs 36, at both ends of said shaft. The boxes 35 are suitably guided in slots 36 of an adjustable bearing plate 37 the latter being adjustable by means of screws 38 extending through slots 39 in the plate 37. Furthermore, the slot 36 is struck from the axis of shaft 18, as a center, so that the draper 15 will always be taut irrespective of the high or low position of shaft 31. Furthermore, if the draper 15 becomes slack, it may be tensioned by the bearing plate 37.

It will now be clear that the springs 36 tend to hold the roller 30in an elevated position, to narrow the feed slot. However under choking stress, the teeth 32 may force the roller 30 downwardly in such a manner as to widen the slot and thereby relieve the stress of choking action. It will be readily seen that if any choking tendency is initially neutralized by such immediate release, accumulated grain will be prevented from seriously choking the feed mechanism.

In the most improved embodiment of my invention I prefer to locate the transfer picker in such relation to the draper terminal that it will be in rangeof action therewith and will retard passage of the grain into the feed slot in quantities excessive e picker 28 rotates at about 17 revolutions per minute and the ends of the fingers 29 thereof'sweep into sufficient adjacency to the terminal of the draper to prevent large bunches of grain from entering the feed slot. There is no excessive retardation of the feed because of the position of this picker 28 because the latter rotates in a contra-clockwise direction.

The advantages of a two side feed ina threshing machine either for bundles or grain in bulk, are too numerous to mention. I believe I am the first to provide a two side feed Where such feed consists of laterally disposed drapers approaching each other and being driven in directions to cause the grain carried thereby to seek a central position with respect to said drapers.

The-draper 16 is trained about a roller 40 which is mounted'upon a shaft 41 having suitable bearings in back and front walls 8 and 9. A sprocket 42 is mounted on said shaft 41 and a sprocket chain 43 is trained about said sprocket 42 and a sprocket 44, the latter being mounted upon picker shaft 28. The terminal of said draper remote from roller 40 is trained about a roller 45 which rotates about an axis slightly above the axis of picker 28, and above cylinder 31 and roller 30 but somewhat beneath the circumferential sweep of the ends of picker fingers 29. Roller 45 is also laterally spaced apart some slight distance from the ends of fingers 29. Therefore, when grain is loaded from the right hand side of Fig. 4, onto draper 16, it will be carried down and delivered off from the terminal onto the picker 28, and the rotating fingers 29 will transfer the grain over the picker cylinder and onto the draper 15. Vall 14 is provided with a guard 46 extending inwardly in subjacent relation to the draper 16.

It will thus be seen, that while I provide a feed mechanism into which grain in bundle or loose form may be deposited from opposite sides, nevertheless, the grain will enter the feed slot from a single point laterally disposed with respect thereto so that the bulk feed to said slot will all be under active control of the picker 28. I

WVhen the grain is loaded in bundle form, I employ band cutting means operating in such range with respect to the drapers that the bands of the bundles will be severed while the bundles are being advanced by the drapers.

In the back wall 8 I provide slots 47 through which suitably toothed band cutting arms 48 project. Rearwardly of Wall 8 is a shaft 49 on the ends of which are crank disks 50. The crank disks are pro vided with crankpins 51 connected with said arms 48 between their ends. The rearmost ends of said arms 48 are pivoted at 52 to cranks 53 which are loosely mounted 'between bearings 54 on a shaft'5v5. Bearings 54 are mounted upon any suitable stationary part of the framework. This loose connection not only permits of gyratory movement of the arms 18 under the action of crank disks 50,.but they also permit of a certain latitude so that if the free or toothed ends encountered any unyielding mass of grain or other obstruction, breakage would be avoided.

The picking cylinder and conveyers, as has been set forth, are disposed above and in advance of the main threshing cylinder and therefore I, provide a novel form of conveyer structure for delivering the grain to the main threshing cylinder, which I will now describe in detail.

The bottom of the contracted portion of the hopper housing is cut away at an incline, as indicated at 57, and my improved conveyer structure includes a frame 58 which is adapted to abut against this inclined lower edge. In the conveyer frame 58 is a conveyer 59 having its front end trained about a roller 60 which is driven at about 200 revolutions per minute, the shaft 61 of the which is mounted in tension boxes 62. Said tension boxes maybe shifted to tension the conveyer 59 by means of bolts 63. The remaining bight of conveyer 59 is trained about a roller 64; mounted on shafts 65, the (latter. being journaled in frame 58. On one end, at least, of shaft 65, is mounted a pinion 66 which is adapted to be driven by a constantly rotated pinion 67, mounted upon picker shaft 68. Picker shaft 68 is mounted in a fixed portion of the V will be obvious.

housing. By reference to Fig. 13, the relation of the delivery end of conveyer 59, to the threshing cylinder and concave, will be clear, and the manner of delivery thereto On'picker shaft 68 is a controlling picker 69 which is sufliciently close to the delivery end of conveyer 59 to control delivery therefrom to the threshing mechanism. Picker 69 rotates in a contraclockwise' direction at about the speed of roller 64 so that if an excess quantity of partially threshed grain were delivered to conveyer 59, the picker 69 would prevent a correspondingly excessive delivery to the threshing cylinder. Furthermore, picker 69 serves to spread and attenuate the volume delivered so as to uniformly feed the threshing mechanism with only the maximum volume that the capacity of the threshing mechanism is designed to receive. "It may also be stated that the feed slot 3 1 is suflici'ently above the conveyer 59 so that the grain in dropping downwardly on the latter above a predetermined volume and therefore unify the delivery to the threshing mechanism.

It will be understood that if it were desired to inspect the threshing cylinder, or

repair the same, or if it were desired to gain access to the bottom of the hopper housing, great difficulty would be encountered'in the shown in Figs. 7 and 13 to the position shown in Fig. 8, thereby rendering the cylinder and concave accessible for inspection. \Vheels 66 are withdrawn from mesh en- Thus the conveyer frame 58 may be withdrawn from the position gagement with wheels 67, automatically,.

and, shifting return movement will automatically connect wheels 66 in drive with wheels 67. Now it is also desirable, in view of the mass of grain on the conveyer 59 to shift the latter away from the hopper housing. Therefore, on the front end of frame 58 I have provided a foot 73 having one portion 7 4 so proportioned as to rest upon a fixed support 75 and sustain the frame 58 in close abutting relation against lower in- ,1

clined edge 57, when said frame is in the normal position shown in Fig. 7. However, the foot 73 has an inclined portion 76 which permits of gravity descent of the frame 58 away from edge 57 when the frame is withdrawn. It will be clear that even when the frame 58 is withdrawn, it will be sup ported in the position shown in Fig. 8. It is important to effect mesh engagement between wheels 66 and 67 when the frame 58 is in normal position, and View of the fact that lugs 72 form fulcrums between shaft 65 and foot 73, lowering adjustment of foot 78 would tilt wheels 66 into mesh with wheels 77. I therefore provide such suitable adjustment of the pin and slot form, as indicated at 77 and 78.

The main drive will be communicated from the engine to a pulley 79 on shaft 80. Shaft 80 is provided with a bevel gear 81 meshing with a bevel gear 82 for transmitting power to picker cylinder 31'. On shaft 80 is a sprocket wheel 83 over which sprocket chain 84 is trained, the remaining bight of said chain being trained about a sprocket 85 for driving the main cylinder shaft 5. 'A counter-shaft 86, above the cylinder shaft 5, is mounted in bearings 87 and 88 and is provided with a pulley 89 over which a belt 90 is trained. The remaining bight of the belt 90 is trained about a pulley 91 on shaft 5. Counter-shaft 86 carries a friction pulley 92 adapted to be adjusted on said shaft radially with respect to a friction disk 93 to vary the speed at which disk 93 may be driven. This friction drive also provides for slippage in case of excessive strain. A sprocket 94, on counter-shaft 86, transmits power to picker shaft 68 through chain 95. I have hereinbefore described the transmission from shaft 22 to shaft 18, whereby the drapers are driven.

On shaft 86 is a sprocket 96 which transmits drive throu h a chain 97 to a sprocket 98 on shaft 55. an shaft 55 is a sprocket 99 which transmits power through a chain 100 to shaft 49, by means of sprocket 101 on the latter.

It may be desired to either change the speed or arrest operation of the drapers and the picker 28, and for this purpose, I embody a throw-out mechanism which I will now describe in detail. Shaft 22 is loosely mounted in bearings 23 and 24 and a fork 102 is sleeved onto shaft 22 and rotatively connected therewith by a set screw 108 projecting into an annular groove 104, in shaft 22. A bell crank lever is journaled in a suitable bearing 105 and one arm 106, of said lever, is pivoted at 107 to said fork 102. The other arm 108, of said lever, is provided with depending weight 109 whereby thrust will normally be exerted to hold disk 98 in driven engagement with direction wheel 92. How ever, when it is desired to disconnect the the friction drive, arm 108 will be lifted upwardly and a suitable plug will be inserted in an opening 110 to sustain said arm and maintain the parts out of drive.

Apart from the mechanism hereinbefore described, I have presented method invention which broadly consists in varying the rate of speed of successive parts acting upon the grain in such a manner as to render delivery uniform, as regards the threshing cylinder. For instance, the rate of speed of the picking cylinder 31 is over twice as great as the rate of speed ofthe conveyer 59. Thus the excessive delivery onto the conveyer 59 from the picker cylinder and its draper terminal will be compensated for, especially in view of the fact that the great width of con cluding an elongated narrow opening for feed therethrough to said mechanism, a hopper formed of downwardly sloping bundle feeding drapers having their terminals in delivering relation to said opening, the terminal of one draper being at an elevation above the terminal of the remaining draper,

and a transfer picker means rotatable about delivering or transferring grain delivery from the latter onto said lower terminal, substantially as described.

2. In a feed mechanism for threshing ma- 7 chines, a threshing mechanism including an elongated narrow feed opening for passage of'grain to said mechanism, a hopper formed of downwardly sloping drapers one an axis below the higher draper terminal for thereof having its terminal above the ter- 7 minal of the other and both terminals delivering to said opening, and transfer picker means rotatable about an axis below the highest draper terminal and above the lower draper terminal for transferring grain delivery from the higher terminal to the lower terminal and limiting delivery to said opening from said lower terminal to a predetermined rate, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby afiix my signature.

JOHN N. SHANKS. 

